Raising the roof with Saab

Saab will offer a soft-top version of its 9-3 from October, missing the summer sunshine but meeting the unique demands of a signficant segment of Saab fans for open-air motoring.

Saab's "individualistic" pool of fans, mainly professionals who desire to plough their own furrow away from the run-of-the-mill business set in their German small executive models, have always taken a particular fancy to letting the wind blow through their hair, albeit in the comforting knowledge of being in a reliable and safety-conscious motor.

The latest incarnation of the soft-top 9-3 should be a welcome addition to the range. Aesthetically the car looks more of a true soft-top, and Saab's engineers highlight the fact that consideration of the soft-top variant was taken into account from day one of the latest 9-3's development.

The longer, wider body means there was more space for engineers to work with, when faced with housing back-seat passengers, folded roof and some boot space.

The roof is stowed away in a flush cover above the boot. However, the one gripe we would have remains with the inhibited boot space once the roof is down. It's either roof up for golfing, or the bag must be carried in the back seat.

The cabin is also more airy than its predecessor - a strange comment for a soft-top, but ask anyone who travelled in its predecessor and they will tell you how dark it is when the roof is up. Overall it's a much more comfortable package than the previous 9-3 convertible.

It will come in the usual three versions - Linear, Vector and Aero - all powered by the two-litre units of varying horsepower, from 175 bhp to 210 bhp in the Aero.

With the chance to take the convertible on quiet Swedish roads under the hot sun, we of course opted for the Aero, and were happy to drive for hours. The only problem is a limpness in the steering in straight lines, but this disappears in cornering.

While prices have yet to be finalised, they are likely to start at around €52,000, and expected yearly sales are estimated at about 150 - impressive when one considers that yearly total sales for the smaller more sporty Saab is about 800.

The soft-top version is due to be built in Austria by the Magna Group, which is also due to build BMW's smaller SUV, the X3, at its Graz plant.